We're still alive . . .

Sorry to be MIA for so long, but honestly, sometimes life just gets in the way of me posting regular updates. Jenkins has started baseball so that means we spend MUCH of our time at the baseball field. He LOVES it....(of course!) and he is playing 2nd base this year for 60 Minutes Cleaners! I'll be sure to post some pictures soon.

To get me back in the swing of things......

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ... It's a sunny, beautiful day....and pollen is EVERYWHERE! (sneeze, sniffle)

I AM THINKING ... I really should have taken Spring Break off to spend time with Jenkins. However, I know that he is quite content with my mom and my dad is having the best time playing ball with him!

WE ARE LEARNING … the last bible verse for AWANAs! Woohoo!!

I AM THANKFUL FOR ... a fabulous husband - who just happens to be the best father I could have ever imagined....AND a wonderful son - who just happens to make me smile and laugh daily!

FROM THE KITCHEN ... I'll be cooking a ham tonight! We didn't have one this weekend for Easter and I've been craving one!

I AM WEARING ... flip flops!! It's officially Spring/Summer in South Carolina!!

I AM GOING ... to Clemson to see the Tigers play the Tarheels in just two weeks!! Jenk and Johnny are STOKED!

I AM READING ... nothing right now. I read the entire "Twlight" series in less than two weeks! They were so much better than the movies!!!

I AM CREATING ... nothing at the moment!

I AM HOPING ... that the remainder of the school year will fly by! Jenkins is so ready to be done with 1st grade!

I AM HEARING ... myself type and that's it! It's way too quiet around here today!

AROUND THE HOUSE ... my piles of laundry are multiplying! Why does it never seem to go away?

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS ...is watching the kids in my life play their sports!! I'm one proud mother and aunt!

A FEW PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK ... an 'adult' night with Johnny tonight since Jenkins decided to spend the night with Granny and Papa!! Tomorrow will be supper with my parents.....and the rest of the week we will be attending games at the Southeastern Baseball Classic and even getting up at 5:30am on Saturday to make breakfast for the players! (Someone remind me again why I sign up for these things??!!)

A PICTURE TO SHARE ... Jenkins' after he found a particularly LARGE mud puddle! His comment to me was "God made dirt, so I ain't hurt!" Gotta love boys!

It's almost Christmas!!!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ... It's 56F and sunny....but I wish it were snowing! How sweet would in be to have a white Christmas in South Carolina!?

I AM THINKING ... that those morons that I work with just turned on the air conditioner! Seriously....do you think we need it to be 42F in here???? My fingers are so cold that I can barely type!

WE ARE LEARNING … everyone has their limits. And some days, I reach mine much sooner than Johnny or Jenkins!

I AM THANKFUL FOR ... a great church family.....friends and family that support and love me unconditional.

FROM THE KITCHEN ... I'll be making cookies for Jenkins' class party tomorrow.....homemade fudge for some friends.....and I've still got bags of "reindeer food" sitting on my counter!

I AM WEARING ... my 'audit' clothes! Not my usual jeans! (I so hate audit clothes)

I AM GOING ... with Jenkins, Coyt, & Johnny to ride the "Polar Express" on Sunday! Call me a kid - but I'm so excited to be taking Jenk & Coyt!

I AM READING ... nothing right now. I finished "The Pact" by Jodi Poucult last night and it was very good!

I AM CREATING ... wonderful memories with my family!

I AM HOPING ... that each of my friends and family has a fabulous Christmas and New Years! May peace and love be abundant in their homes this holiday season!

I AM HEARING ... the lathe running in the background and a co-worker talking. I wish I could tune both of them out! (oh but wait....only a few hours tomorrow and I'll be outta here until the 28th - Merry Christmas to me!!)

AROUND THE HOUSE ... needs cleaning! We've got boxes, papers....reindeer food....etc everywhere! It looks like a tornado hit my house but I will be cleaning all day on Friday!!

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS ... is hearing my child laugh when he finds something REALLY funny! It's this wonderful laugh that makes you smile and laugh with him.

A FEW PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK ... half day of work tomorrow.....baking cookies tonight....attending Jenkins class party....cleaning the house.......and chillin' on Saturday with Johnny, Jenkins and Coyt before we head to ride the Polar Express!

A PICTURE TO SHARE ... Santa and his snaggled toothed Elf!!!

Blog Award.......

I received this wonderful blog award from the greatest blogger I know - Char.

I love reading Char's blog - she's always so honest and I absolutely love reading all the special things that Jonah has been up to. I'm so jealous of her scrap booking abilities - she puts me to shame! Her creations are wonderful and you can just feel the love that she puts into every page.

I'm supposed to pass this award along to 7 bloggers who write from their heart. My awards go to:

1. Missy

2. Amanda

3. AmandaZ

4. Mandie

5. Jill

6. Char

7. Leslie



I am also to provide you with ten things that you may not know about me:



1. I'm a perpetual planner. It's not a gift, it's a curse! I don't like the unknown or surprises - that's why I plan everything! (Surprise, surprise - right, Missy?)



2. I'm a worrier...not warrior. I worry - about everything. The things I can change, the things I can't - everything! I so wish I could be a man for a few days so nothing would ever bother me.



3. I liked K5 homework far more than 1st grade homework. I like when the only assignments that came home were to write letters & numbers and color. Boy, do I miss those days when homework could be finished in just a few minutes. Lord only knows what it's in store for us next year when Jenkins is in 2nd grade.



4. I have an addiction to ice cream. Specifically, Ben & Jerry's Creme Brulee! That stuff is HEAVENLY!



5. I have to wear socks in hotels and condos. I just feel like there are tons of germs on the floor and it grosses me out!



6. I've been to Disney World 14 times! Thirteen times as a kid/teenager and once with Johnny & Jenkins. I feel like trip #15 is coming up soon.



7. I don't like to fly. I love seeing the world from the view of a plane but I worry about something breaking in mid-flight. (years of working for a stainless steel company will do that to you). I also have a tendency to look at every person as they board the plane. If something is going to happen, I could pretty much predict who it is and would be able to give a pretty accurate description of the villain. (see...there is that perpetual planning thing again!)


8. I have to sleep with cover pulled up to my chin. It doesn't matter if it's 105F or 5F - I've got to have at least a bed sheet covering me - can't sleep without it.



9. I NEVER sleep through the night - NEVER! My mind doesn't shut off like a normal person so I usually wake up at the oddest hours thinking of things that (1) I need to do (2) I forgot to do (3) will solve a problem I have at work or (4) upcoming events like audits, etc.



10. I love my family more than anything in this world! I have the most amazing parents - who love and support me endlessly. My sisters are my best friends....and their kids are MY kids! There isn't anything I wouldn't do for my family and friends. Johnny and Jenkins are my life! I'm blessed far more than I ever deserve - but you probably already knew that!

Thankful . . .

As November wraps up....and in honor of Thanksgiving, here are 8 things that I am thankful for! I know we don't need a holiday to realize it, but it is nice to post it every once in a while.

1. I am thankful for my amazing family - for their unconditional love and support.

2. I am thankful for two-way friendships. The kind where you know you will be there for your friend in a heartbeat and know that they will do the exact same.

3. I am thankful to be living in America. I place where I can choose where I go to church, who I marry...where to send my child for school, etc. It is something that we should never take for granted.

4. I am thankful my job. There are days when I really don't want to come in to work but I'm very thankful to have a job when so many have lost theirs.


5. I am thankful to have a healthy, happy child. Way too many kids are fighting cancer and I'll be thankful when they finally find a cure.

6. I am thankful for 'family hugs'! It's how we end every day at our house!

7. I am thankful that my nieces trust me enough to be the grown up that they call when they need help. Those two girls are so precious to me and I'm happy that they feel like they can trust me with any information. I love that they ask my advise about things that matter....and that they are growing into great young ladies.


8. I am thankful to be me! I'm flawed and impatient....caring and crazy.....and in love with my husband and son! I'm not perfect and don't even try to be....and for that I'm thankful!

Fun In the Cotton Field . . .

Last week I decided to take some pictures of Jenkins out in the cotton field. When I showed the pictures to my nieces, they liked them so much that we headed back a few days later to get some pics of them. Of course, Taylor couldn't come without her boyfriend, William...and Allie brought her good friend, Brittany....and my nephew Worth tagged along too! There's nothing better than spending time with "my kids"......I love that crazy bunch and would do anything in the world for them!!

Taylor - my beautiful niece!
(I don't know why this one is so much smaller than the others!)

Allison - Isn't she gorgeous? And you can hardly tell that she and Taylor are twins now!

Wow...Are they really 16 now? Driving, dating and even visiting colleges?!?

Allison, Brittany and Taylor

Taylor, Worth and Allie - Three of a kind!!

Taylor and her boyfriend, William. (insert my eye rolling here :o)

Another picture of Taylor, Worth and Allie - we used some of these pics for their dad's birthday present!

And finally - my favorite shot of Jenkins! I love that little snaggle-toothed boy of mine!

Monday, Monday . . .

Inspired by the Simple Woman's Daybook

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ... it is cold!! But I'm loving the cooler weather! It's just right for sweaters and snuggling!

I AM THINKING ... that the only people I need in my life are the ones that want me in theirs!

WE ARE LEARNING …that we really enjoy quite weekends at home with no plans, no visitors....just the three of us doing whatever we take the notion to do.

I AM THANKFUL FOR ... all the wonderful people in my life (family, friends and church family)

FROM THE KITCHEN ... you won't find much today! I spent way too much time in Kelleytown Baptist Church kitchen yesterday! Whew.....

I AM WEARING ... my jeans and one of my favorite sweatshirts.

I AM GOING ... to Jenkins' football game tonight and will be cheering loudly for the Titans! I'll probably freeze my butt off....but I'll still be one proud mama!

I AM READING ...nothing at the moment! I just finished Nicholas Sparks new book, The Last Song, and I haven't started anything else yet.

I AM CREATING ... wonderful memories with Johnny, Jenkins, family and friends!

I AM HOPING ... that Bayler has a good week! That little boy is a true inspiration to me!

I AM HEARING ... myself type and that's it! It's very quite for a Monday!

AROUND THE HOUSE ... I did alot of cleaning this weekend!

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS ... is hearing Jenkins read. I know it's not rocket science or anything but I love hearing him sound out new words.

A FEW PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK ... football tonight.....meetings throughout the work week.....taking Jenkins to a Halloween party Friday night...then more football on Saturday followed by a family cookout and baby shower for my cousin!

A PICTURE TO SHARE ...This was taken by my friend Missy this weekend! Jenkins had gone to her house to play with her son, Josh. They had a blast playing football, riding the golfcart and playing on the hay bales. (Thanks again, Missy!)

Friday "Fill Ins" . . . . (Oct 16th)

And...here we go! My answers in bold. Join me?

1. So are we going back to school on Monday! Jenkins school closed on Tuesday due to sickness being so wide spread. I'm praying that all the kids are well....and those that aren't, that their parents keep them home.

2. Planning for the holidays are what's up ahead. We've got a Halloween party next weekend.....Thanksgiving at the beach and then Christmas. I always say "leave it to family to mess up a holiday" but I really hoping that will not be the case this year. (hint, hint to any family member reading this)

3. I love to watch all the kids in my life play their many sports. I am one proud Mommy and/or aunt when I'm watching my kids! Whether it's Jenkins playing golf, football, soccer or baseball....Taylor playing softball.....Allie playing golf....Worth playing baseball or running track.....Kirsten playing softball or volleyball....or Coyt playing baseball or football - I'm their biggest fan!

4. I need to make a Christmas list of some sort. My list gets longer every year and I'll forget someone if I don't. But on the bright side I do already have a few gifts purchased and wrapped!

5. I walk a up and down the stairs in my house way too often. If I ever build a house I will put the laundry room upstairs near the bedrooms and bathroom so I don't have as far to walk to put up all the clothes and towels.

6. Love & friendship is the true elixir of life! My life would be nothing without family, friends and spending time with the ones that mean the most to me.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to cleaning my house and getting all the laundry done, tomorrow my plans include doing whatever Jenkins & I decide to do on the spur of the moment since the house will be clean and we don't have any plans , and Sunday I want to just sit back and relax after we get finished cleaning up from our church homecoming.

Happy Friday!!